Puzzle.



PATENTED AUG. 25. 1908.

C. B. GRAVES.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED IIAR.11,19oa.

rm: NoRRrs PE1-sns co., wAsmNcTaN, o. c.

CHARLES B. GRAVES, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

PUZZLE.

Application filed March 11, 1908.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. GRAVES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to puzzles, and its primary object is to provide a device of this character which shall be highly amusing and which shall require a high degree of skill to solve the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a puzzle which shall be simple in construction, and which shall be capable of being manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a puzzle constructed in accordance with my invention, illustrating the puzzle partially solved. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 1 designates the body of the puzzle which is preferably constructed of some light metal and which is preferably rectangular in outline. The body has its upper surface suitably'ornamented. The ornament is preferably applied to a member 2 which is secured to the body. A main slot 3 extends longitudinally of the body, preferably near one of the longitudinal edges thereof. A branch slot 4 extends toward the longitudinal center of the body 1 and communicates with the .slot 3 at a point adjacent one of its ends.

Communicating with and projecting in opposite directions from the slot 4 are auxiliary slots 5. A branch slot 6 communicates with the slot 3 at a point suitably remote from the slot 4, and extends towards the longitudinal center of the body 1 and has communicating therewith diverging auxiliary slots 7 An even number of members 8 are slidably mounted in the slots and each consists of a shank 9 reduced as at 10, for the reception of the walls of the slots, and an en- Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 1908.

Serial No. 420,488.

larged head 11. SiX members 8 are preferably used and three of the members have printed or otherwise formed on the heads 11 thereof the representation of the heads of tigers. The other three members 8 have printed or otherwise formed on the heads 11 thereof the representation of the heads of bears, the tigers being symbolical of the Democratic party and the bears of the Republican party.

In practice, those members bearing the representation of the heads of tigers will be known as the Tammany tigers, while those bearing the representation of the heads of bears will be known as the Teddy bears, and one side of the body 1 will be known as the Democratic side and the other as the Republican side. The bears and tigers are promiscuously arranged on one side, and to solve the puzzle it will be necessary to transfer the tigers and bears from one side to the other in such a manner that the tigers will not at any time outnumber the bears on either side. The slots 6 and 7 are arranged on the Democratic side, while the slots 4 and 5 are arranged on the Republican side. The members are adapted to be moved from one side to the other through the medium of a device 12, which forms part of a pictorial representation 12a. The pictorial representation may consist of the head of a man, in which case the device 12 will have the appearance of a hat. The hat is provided with a pair of shanks 13 which extend through the slot 3, and which are provided with enlarged retaining heads 14. The hat is also rovided with a recess 15 which opens in the direction of the longitudinal center of the body.

Assuming that the tigers and bears are promiscuously arranged on the Democratic side, the solution of the puzzle will be as follows: The hat 12 is moved to position its recess 15 in alinement with the slot 6, and then two tigers are moved' from the slots 7 through the slot 6 into the recess 15, that is, into the hat. The hat with the tigers is moved to the republican side, and one of the tigers is moved from the hat into the slot 5 through the slot 4, after which the hat is returned to the Democratic side to receive another tiger. The hat is again moved to the Republican side and one of the tigers is moved into one of the slots 5. The hat is again moved to the Democratic side and the tiger is moved therefrom into one of the slots 7. Two bears are placed in the hat and moved to the Republican side, after which one of the bears is moved into the slot 5 and one of the tigers from the slot `into the hat; The hat is then moved to the Democratic side and the tiger is moved into one of the slots 7 and a bear from one of the slots 7 into the hat. The hat with the two bears is moved to the Republican side and the bears are moved into the slot 5 and one tiger is moved from the slot 5 into the hat. The

lhat with one tiger is again moved to the Democratic side and a tiger from this side is placed in the hat and the hat again returned to the Republican side, after which one tiger is placed in the slots 5. The hat with the tiger is again moved to the Democratic side, and the remaining tiger is placed in the hat and the hat moved to the Republican side, after which both tigers are moved into the slots 5.

Having fully described and illustrated my invention, what l claim is:

'1. A puzzle comprising a body provided with a portion of a pictorial representation and a main slot and auxiliary slots, sets of members mounted inone oi the auxiliary slots, each set bearing different symbols, and i a carrying member mounted in the main slot and bearing the remainder of said pictorial representation, said carrying member being constructed to convey the first named members from one auxiliary slot to the other.

2. A puzzle comprising a body provided with a portion of a pictorial representation and a main slot and auxiliary slots, sets of members mounted in one of the auxiliary slots, each set bearing different symbols, and a carrying member mounted in the main slot and bearing the remainder of said pictorial representation, said carrying member being provided with a recess adapted to receive one or more of the first named members, whereby said lirst named members may be carried from one auxiliary slot to the other.

3. A puzzle comprising a body provided with a vportion of a pictorial representation and a mainslot and branch slots, said body being also provided with auxiliary slots communicating with the branch slots, sets of' members .mounted in one of the auxiliary slots, each set bearing different symbols, and a carrying member mounted in the main slot and bearing the remainder of said pictorial representation, said carrying member being constructed to convey the rst named members from one auxiliary slot to the other.

ln testimony whereof l aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses. i

CHARLES B. GRAVES. /Vitnesses r MORGAN P. JACKSON, MARY F. CLoAx. c 

